Improvement in the construction of bedsteads



JOHN F. HOLLISTER, on PLANO, ILLINOIS.

Letters Patent No. 114,439, dated May 2,1871.

vIMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BEDSTEADS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and mnking'part of the same.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN F. HoLnIs'rsR, of Plano, county'of Kendall, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bedsteads, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making a 'part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improvement;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view.

Figure 3 represents in section a construction which embodies only thevfirst partof the invention;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view; and

Figure 5'is a horizontal sectional view of a modification of the same.

The first part of the invention relates to the construction of a device adapted to secure the side and end rails of a bedstead to each other, and to the legs' or posts in such a manner that they may be readily put together, and that theweight of the parts shall hold the rails firmly in place, as will be hereinafter fully explained. v

The second part of the invention consists in combining with the device above referred to an upwardly projecting socket, by means of which the head-board or foot-board may be secured in place.

In the accompanying drawing- A represents a shell, semi-cylindrical in form. and provided at each end with a flat head, B B.

The lower head B is perforated centrally, as shown in figs. 4 and 5.

The upper head B is provided with a socket arranged centrally i'or the reception of a key or cotter, which will soon be described.

D D represent the ordinary side and end rails of a bedstead. They may be of any suitable size, but in practice, for ordinary bedsteads, I prefer to make them correspond in width with length of shell A between its heads.

Y The rails are inserted in the shell at a right angle, or thereabout, to each other, with. their inner ends resting against the inner wall, and by preference I;

provide this wallwith a series of longitudinal ribs, a, fig. 4, which form bearings against which the ends of the rails abut, and the corner of the rails may be chamfered or united so as to bear upon each other.

The outer edges of the shell should be beveled, as shown at a, fig. 4, so as to afford a good bearing for the rails.

- The ends of the rails are grooved transversely upon their inner faces, the grooves being more shallow at their upper ends, and so located that when the rails are inserted in the shell they (the grooves) will conform to and be concentric with the perforations in the heads'B B.

E represents the upper endlof the leg or post. it is made round in form, and, by preference, tapers slightly,.the holes in the heads of the shell varying in size to correspond, so as to insure an accurate fit of the parts.

The lower part of the post may be of any usual or desired shape or length, as my invention relates only to the upper end, which I call the cotter or key.-

The operation of the devices just described, and which embody the first part of my invention, is as follows:

The rails D D arejinslerted in the shell in substantially the position shown in the-drawing, and then the post or cotter E is tightly driven in, fitting closely into the grooves in the inner sides of the rails, and firmly locking them in place, as will be readily seen without further explanation.

For the purpose of furnishing a better support for the upper end of the cotter, I provide .the upper head B" of the shell with a socket, which is-a great improvement, because when it is placed upon the under side it allows the cotter to be driven further after the parts have come to a firm bearing, thus wedging the' joints firmly without having the cotter project above the face of the disk.

F is a socket which projects from the upper end B' of the shell, and is usually made to form a continuation 6f the socket formed for the reception of the'cotter E.

The object of this socket is to furnish a convenient support for a head-board or a foot-board, which may be of any pattern or style that shall be preferred.

In the drawing the upper head B "of the shell is shown as a full circle, but when preferred it may he cut away, as indicated .by dotted lines in fig. 1; in fact, when using the device with the socket F to support the head or foot-board, I usually cut it (the head B) out, as shown, so as not to interfere with putting in and taking out the mattress; but in bedsteads which have no foot-board, the post may be finished with a simple cap, secured to the head I by means of screws passing through holes in the head.

Although my invention is more particularly adapted for use in connection with bedsteads as I have described it, yet it is evident that it may be used'in the manufacture of tables, lounges, and various other articles in which parts corresponding to the rails D D are to be secured to each other at an angle.

In fig. 5 I have represented a modification of the invention, consisting of the addition to the shell of longitudinal ribs a which engage with grooves or gains out transversely in the outer sides of rails D, for the purpose of more securely locking them in place These ribs may be located, when preferred, near or at the .outer edges of the shell. The shell mayhe so JOHN F. HOLLISTER.

Improvement in the Construction 0i Bedsteads. I 114,439, Patented Ma 2,1871. 

